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COVID-19
UPDATE
Dwayne Blaylock, CEO of Merit Health River
Oaks, and Heather Sistrunk, CEO of Merit
Health Rankin and Merit Health Woman’s,
recently spoke with Hometown Magazine to
give an update on COVID-19 and its impact
on our Rankin County hospitals.
What policies and/or procedures have
your facilities adopted to keep staff and
patients safe?
Heather Sistrunk We are taking extraordinary
measures, going above and beyond our normal efforts
to keep our hospitals clean and safe so that you will
feel confident and know you are protected. We are
screening everyone who comes into the hospitals,
providing facemasks and other personal protective
equipment to staff and patients, and rearranging our
environments to enable social distancing. Also, our
cleaning staff is disinfecting frequently touched
surfaces and doing a terrific job of keeping the
hospitals clean.
Are your ERs safe for the community to visit?
Heather Sistrunk Yes, our ERs are safe. If you have
sudden symptoms that may indicate an emergency
health situation you can and should seek immediate
medical attention. Tragically, people with serious
emergencies, such as a heart attack or stroke, are
waiting too long for medical care. Getting fast medical
treatment could be the difference between life and
death so please don’t ignore the signs of a health
emergency. Call 911, come to the ER, and get the help
you need.
Is it ok for people to have surgery or an
elective procedure?
Dwayne Blaylock Yes it is safe for anyone to have
surgery or any other procedure that is recommended
by their doctor. Each surgery patient is pre-screened
for COVID-19 several days prior to their appointment
and they are also screened upon their arrival, along
with the person that accompanies them.
If, for whatever reason, a patient’s loved one
is unable to be with the patient for the
duration of the stay, how can the family be
updated on the patient’s progress?
Dwayne Blaylock If a family member or care team
member is unavailable to stay with the patient, we will
accommodate daily phone updates regarding the
status of the patient. We can also make arrangements
to receive personal toiletries and other belongings to
make the patient’s stay as comfortable as possible.
What about the areas in your hospital other
than the ER and the surgery department?
Heather Sistrunk We have implemented the same
COVID safety precautions in our outpatient diagnostic
testing areas as well as the lab, radiology, sleep lab
and all other areas of our hospitals.
Is there a special unit at your hospital for
COVID-19 patients?
Heather Sistrunk We have red, yellow and green
zones within the hospital. A red zone is a COVID zone
in which only appropriate personnel with appropriate
PPE can enter. A yellow zone indicates a COVID test
result is pending for patients in those areas. A green
zone is our COVID safe zone.
What is your visitor policy?
Dwayne Blaylock As the COVID-19 situation
evolves, so does our visitor policy. You can find the
current policy by visiting our website: MyMeritHealth.com.
Does Merit Health offer COVID-19 testing?
Heather Sistrunk We have the ability to test
inpatients at all three of our Rankin County hospitals,
as well as patients who visit either of our two Rankin
County emergency rooms.
What about your clinics? Are they open
and safe?
Dwayne Blaylock Our clinics are taking the same
safety precautions as our hospitals. They are open,
safe, and ready to see you if you are experiencing any
symptoms of illness. In addition, many of our doctors
offer telehealth visits for those who prefer not to come
into the office.
What is a telehealth visit?
Dwayne Blaylock Telehealth is a video call or
phone call appointment. In some instances this works
well for the patient but in most situations, the provider
needs to see the patient in person. All of our providers
are happy to speak with their patients to determine
which type of visit is best for them.
Hometown RANKIN • 101